Russ Parsons

I read with interest the California Cook article ["Eats Shoots, Leaves," by Russ Parsons, May 18]. I am impressed with the stroke of food genius that hit Russ Parsons in the grocery line. It is clear why he is on the Food section staff. I do enjoy his articles. I also very much enjoy David Shaw's articles. I like all of the Food section, but those are my two consistent favorites. Pier Avirom Whittier

Thank YOU for the informative article on strawberries ["In Search of Perfection," by Russ Parsons, March 16]. I grew up on a vegetable farm in central Indiana where Mother raised the most delicious strawberries. Her "secret" was based on how I believe the berry got its name: She would place straw around the plants as a mulch. For 20 years, I owned Rosebrock's Vegetable Garden Center in Malibu, catering to home vegetable gardeners. When people asked why I had straw around my strawberries instead of plastic like the farmers in Ventura and Orange counties, I told them that those farmers were growing "plastic berries" and I would explain the foregoing.

CALIFORNIA'S navel orange harvest is in full swing, and it hasn't looked this good in years. There are almost 500 oranges on every tree -- the highest "fruit set" in a decade. And on top of that, this year's harvest is predicted to be 20% bigger (and even sweeter) than last year's. Russ Parsons turns a cook's eye to the bounty, and journeys far beyond the juice. Page 3

Russ Parsons is the new editor of the Los Angeles Times Food section. Parsons, who has worked at The Times since 1991 and served for several years as deputy editor, writes the In the Kitchen and In Season columns. Before joining the Food section, Parsons was food editor at the Los Angeles Times Syndicate. Before that, he edited the food section of the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. Parsons replaces Laurie Ochoa, who had edited the section since 1993.

It has taken me a while to grow accustomed to each successive change in the makeup of The Times Food section, but I eventually become comfortable with them. Now I especially enjoy Russ Parsons, always look forward to Marion Cunningham, and like Donna Deane, Barbara Hansen and Charles Perry. Rose Dosti's "Culinary SOS" is a must read as many of the reprints are familiar to me. (I first began reading the Food pages in my mother's kitchen when I was 11 and enrolled in my first home ec class in school.